Sandy Lake

Bedford residents have been working for at least 50 years to create a park at Sandy Lake.

Remarkably, and thanks to their work, some 1800 hectares remains green right between Bedford and Sackville, featuring three lakes, rivers, a swimming beach, and old-growth hemlock forests. Only a fraction of the land, however, has so far been formally protected.

The decades of work to keep this area green has created an enormous opportunity for the Halifax region: to have such a beautiful park right between two of our fastest growing communities. Developing this land now would be a waste of their efforts and of an enormous natural asset.

In 2013, a developer who owned land in the area found out Halifax would not allow him to develop his land for at least a decade. He retaliated by ordering the entire property clearcut, including a large stand of old growth forest. (The clearcut can be seen in the large brown area in the satellite photo above).

Halifax must act swiftly to acquire the necessary land to create this regional park before more of this precious asset can be damaged.

Every time into the BMBCL brings new finds. Such a treasure we have here... (this may be a recurring theme, with no apologies!). Spring on the Hobson Lake trail. #BMBCL @MNH_Naturalists @NSNatureTrust @HRMUrbanForest @hfxplanning @HfxFieldNat @OurHRMAlliance @HikeNS

This map shows the sidewalks in urban & some suburban parts of #Halifax and #Dartmouth that are 2m or wider. The green routes would allow for safe physical distancing while walking & rolling. Most areas don't allow for people to walk to essential services & physically distance. https://twitter.com/kyleplans/status/1256220639087800320

HRM's initiation report on the Regional Plan Review was passed by council this morning. The Review will serve as the main opportunity to implement the #HalifaxGreenNetworkPlan to protect the #HalifaxGreenbelt